adminTanaka Mahanya
ZIMBABWE joins the rest of the world to commemorate World Refugee Day today.
It acknowledges the strength and bravery of those who have fled their home countries due to conflict or persecution.
The official celebrations will be held next week at the Tongogara Refugee Camp in Chipinge, which hosts around 16 000 refugees, eight percent of whom are women and children.
The theme of this year’s event is ‘Hope away from home’.
The Government has contributed 4 400 metric tonnes of maize grain to the United Nations World Food Programme to feed the refugees at the camp.
They will receive monthly rations of micronutrient fortified maize meal, supplemented by cash, with vulnerable groups receiving additional nutritional supplements.
WFP representative and country director, Francesca Erdelmann, said:
“Those who are most vulnerable, such as pregnant women and girls, nursing mothers, children under the age of five and the chronically ill, also receive nutritional supplements, to address their special nutritional needs.
“The in-kind maize contribution will be twinned with WFP funds to cover the cost of transport, storage, handling, milling and distribution.
“The first batch of some 2 170 metric tonnes will be uplifted in the upcoming weeks.
“No matter the circumstances that have pushed refugees to flee their countries, the United Nations serves them without discrimination and WFP ensures that they are able to put food on their tables,” she said.
Bongani Ndlovu
Mathew Masinge